Today, Governor Roy Cooper signed an executive order declaring a Type 1 disaster in Sampson County and the contiguous counties of Bladen, Cumberland, Duplin, Harnett, Johnston, Pender, and Wayne.

The disaster declaration authorizes state emergency assistance grants to be dispersed to individuals and families in affected areas.

On May 30, 2017, Sampson and surrounding counties suffered damaging straight-line winds from severe thunderstorms. Residents in the area reported damaged or destroyed homes and businesses, downed trees, obstructed roads, and farm damage.

An initial joint assessment conducted by local, state, and federal emergency management officials on June 1, 2017 indicated that at least 25 Sampson County homes and businesses sustained major damage. The Small Business Association has also reported that total home and business damages in Sampson County were in excess of $1.3 million, with 17 residential properties or units suffering major damages.

Yesterday, Cooper also announced that homeowners and business owners in Southeastern North Carolina can also apply to the SBA for low-interest federal loans to help them repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate.

For more information or assistance applying for state emergency assistance grants or SBA loans, visit the Disaster Loan Outreach Center (DLOC) at the Sampson County Exposition Center, located at 414 Warsaw Road in Clinton. The Center will be open this Saturday, June 17 from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. The center will be closed Sunday, June 18 but will be open Monday through Wednesday from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. The final day the DLOC will be open is Thursday, 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.